Last year, 2024, during the Wake Forest Town Board retreat, Commissioner Adam Wright was chatting with me when he said he was backing the plan for the Star Road development because one of the principals had an in with Trader Joe’s and would help him bring the grocery store to Wake Forest. He said nothing about a secret and he told others the same thing.
Then in May of last year, at the town board meeting, the commissioners were voting on two projects, the Star Road project and a plan for a four-story apartment building on North White Street with the first floor having commercial uses. The developer, David Phillips, mentioned Trader Joe’s as a possible tenant. It appeared his plan and project would be approved.
During the public hearing before the town board meeting in 2024 about this plan, Wright concentrated unexpectedly on the intersection with Royal Mill Road and cited a recent accident at that intersection, said the traffic impact study was insufficient because it was not done in the summer when there were ball leagues playing at next-door Flaherty Park, said “If there is no light at that intersection, we are going to have problems,” and said “Let’s look at doing the safest thing.” Commissioner Faith Cross said the traffic study “does not capture the true traffic at night at that site” when the fans and teams leave the Flaherty ball fields.
Commissioner Ben Clapsaddle motioned to approve the plan and there was no second. Instead Cross motioned to deny the plan.
The vote was 3 to 1 with Clapsaddle voting no. Commissioner Keith Shackleford was absent.
Now it is 2025 and David Phillips returned Tuesday night at the Wake Forest Planning Board meeting with the almost identical plan that was turned down last spring. A spokeswoman told the planning board Phillips would donate $20,000 for a traffic signal of the plan is approved, and the planning board recommended the town board approve the plan with a suggested 8 percent of the apartments to be affordable.
Almost identical plans but the developer has had to apply twice. The editor has no idea if or where or when Trader Joe’s will be in Wake Forest. Watch next month to see how this plan fares at the town board level.
The planning board approved the rezoning of two adjacent parcels on Wait Avenue with a combined 4.48 acres from Wake County’s Highway District to Wake Forest’s Rural Holding District. The land will be the site for the Wake Forest Fire Department’s Fire Station #6.
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